o How does a person get his or her name on a ballot in a state? How does a person become THE candidate for a political party?
First step would be to join a party (most likely Democratic or Republican). The next step is winning enough of the party's primary elections in order to be selected at the national convention. There are third-party and independent candidates as well. It would be easier to be endorsed by them as there is less competition but these smaller parties don't have as much money or voter support in general.
When primaries and caucuses end, each party holds a national convention to finalize the selection of one Presidential nominee. It’s here where each Presidential candidate chooses a running-mate (or Vice-Presidential candidate).
Randall Terry is the only other declared democrat running as a candidate in the Democratic party. Other parties are not happy because Obama is well-liked. He’s a people’s president, so they are fighting against his personality. o What are they saying about Obama’s shots at reelection? With unemployment at 9.1 percent and the economy as the top issue of the 2012 presidential race, the president faces a tough fight for re-election
However, they are saying Obama is currently the front runner with the highest chance of winning.
• What are the Republicans up to?
o Declared Candidates: Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain,Newt Gingrich,Jon Huntsman,Gary Johnson, Vern Wuensche, Matt Snyder,Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, Buddy Roemer, Rick Perry, Ron Paul, Tom Miller
o Who is the front runner? Mitt Romney
o What are people saying the Republicans need to do in order to win? Raise the debt ceiling, nominate candidate who can appeal to the somewhat conservative as well as to swing voters and white working-class voters who might otherwise vote Democratic.
Timeline: 5 months
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2012_timeline
Primary and Caucus:http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/politicalsystem/a/delegateprocess.htm
Caucus: a private meeting of members of a political party to plan action or to select delegates for a nominating convention
Primary: an election held to nominate a candidate for a particular party at a forthcoming election for public office.
Defenitions:http://usgovinfo.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=usgovinfo&cdn=newsissues&tm=397&f=00&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&st=10&zu=http%3A//www.thegreenpapers.com/Definitions.html
o How does a person get his or her name on a ballot in a state? How does a person become THE candidate for a political party?
First step would be to join a party (most likely Democratic or Republican). The next step is winning enough of the party's primary elections in order to be selected at the national convention. There are third-party and independent candidates as well. It would be easier to be endorsed by them as there is less competition but these smaller parties don't have as much money or voter support in general.
When primaries and caucuses end, each party holds a national convention to finalize the selection of one Presidential nominee. It’s here where each Presidential candidate chooses a running-mate (or Vice-Presidential candidate).
extra:http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/election/president.html
Randall Terry is the only other declared democrat running as a candidate in the Democratic party.
Other parties are not happy because Obama is well-liked. He’s a people’s president, so they are fighting against his personality.
o What are they saying about Obama’s shots at reelection? With unemployment at 9.1 percent and the economy as the top issue of the 2012 presidential race, the president faces a tough fight for re-election
However, they are saying Obama is currently the front runner with the highest chance of winning.
• What are the Republicans up to?
o Declared Candidates: Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain,Newt Gingrich,Jon Huntsman,Gary Johnson, Vern Wuensche, Matt Snyder,Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, Buddy Roemer, Rick Perry, Ron Paul, Tom Miller
o Who is the front runner? Mitt Romney
o What are people saying the Republicans need to do in order to win? Raise the debt ceiling, nominate candidate who can appeal to the somewhat conservative as well as to swing voters and white working-class voters who might otherwise vote Democratic.
Independents: Stewart Alexander, Danny Woodring
Liberterians: RJ Harris, Roger Gary, Carl Person, R. Lee Wrights
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/election/president.html
http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/politicalsystem/a/delegateprocess.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2012_timeline
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2751983/posts
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/n/national_debt_us/index.html
http://2012.democratic-candidates.org/
Researcher for Romney
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tMTia_jNs8CGfp7acSJYf0Vl1MuKc_m-tTA0bwUpzgU/edit